[BIRD NOTES] January 16, 2007

 

Bird Notes

 

Up on the hill behind the cabin there were some Snowshoe Hare footprints in the light dusting of snow a week ago - then the brown and green landscape re-appeared and while walking the dogs I saw the stark white hare hopping away into the woods.  Luckily the dogs were looking the other way! Do hope that it made it to this next dusting of snow we just had, but it is difficult to adapt to this winter. 

     Bruce saw what he believed could have been a Ruby-crowned Kinglet on the suet. There were lots of Juncos, a few Goldfinches, Chickadees, Bluejays, a Raven or two, a pair of Cardinals, Hairy and Downys, Red- and White- breasted Nuthatches.

---Barbara Cole, Wilmington

 

 

I live northwest of Boston. Today at least 6 Robins showed up over the little creek outside my apartment.  We also have about 7 Goldfinches, 5 Bluejays maybe 20 Starlings and 17 Mourning Doves.  These birds seem to have a definite time and pecking order, they show up just before 8am and take turns poking around the 7 squirrel nests being maintained by our three squirrels.  These squirrels add to their nests between 8am @ 8:15 am & then chase each other.  We have seen 2 young Turkeys walk through the parking lot.  Also, now and then 2 Red-tailed Hawks, I thought I heard an Osprey yesterday but the clouds were too low to be sure.  We are not that far from the Charles River and a good deal of open woods.

--Doreen Pugh, Waltham, MA

 

 

Birding at the Power Canal (1/13)

Snow Goose – 2 (1 adult, 1 juvenile).
Canada Goose – 1500+
Richardson’s Cackling Goose – 1

Barrow’s Goldeneye – 1 female.
Green-winged Teal – 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull – 1 (2^nd cycle).
Nelson’s Gull – 1 (first-winter).

---James Smith, Amherst, MA

 

 

This afternoon(1/14)in the rain at the Turners Falls Power Canal, from 16:00-17:00, I managed to find 2 of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls reported earlier in the week by James Smith. (1 adult, 1,3rd W) No white winged gulls. Also of note were 2 adult Snow Geese and 8 Common Mergansers.

---Mark Taylor,Northfield, MA

 

 

Vernon and Environs (1/13)

Canada Geese (75 in “V” flyover)

Mallards (5 at Peck Pond)

Mourning Dove (27 on Peck Rd.)

Mockingbird (Peck Rd.)

Hooded Merganser (m&f at Fort Dummer setback)

 

 

 

Puppy Dog Grouse

In Chris Petrak’s Tailfeathers column he tells of strange behaviors of the Ruffed Grouse. It reminds me of an incident that took place in Brookline at a friends house. Their young, pre-school daughter was playing in the yard pushing a doll carriage as kids do. When her mother looked out the window to check on her, she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw a Ruffed Grouse walking behind her daughter and following her around the yard. This went on for minutes. When her daughter stopped so did the grouse. When the little girl speeded up her pace the grouse half flew to keep up then flew off into the woods. This was not a fluke thing that happened, because for several days the grouse came out of the woods to “play” in the yard with the youngster, following after her like a puppy dog. Later on, it was discovered that her feathered playmate had youngsters of its own, and the meetings stopped and they went on their way doing whatever it is that Ruffed Grouse do.

 

 

Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT